NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Over the past 60 years, United Record Pressing has stood the test of time as America’s oldest vinyl record producer, producing music through the eras of 8-tracks, cassettes, CDs, Napster, iPods, and streaming services. Based in Nashville, this iconic company has recently experienced an impressive resurgence, retrofitting its equipment to meet the growing demand for classic vinyl records.
Founded in 1949 by Nashville’s Bullet Records, United Record Pressing began its journey primarily focusing on 7-inch singles popular among jukeboxes. In the 1960s, it reached new heights, pressing over a million records a month and signing a significant deal with Motown Records. This expansion included a move to a larger facility, which featured the famous “Motown Suite,” housing legendary artists like The Supremes and Smokey Robinson during the era of segregation. The crowning achievement came in 1963 when it pressed the Beatles’ first U.S. single, “Please Please Me.” After a restructuring in the late 1970s, it rebranded itself as United Record Pressing.
When Mark Michaels took ownership in 2007, the company faced a struggling vinyl market, primarily producing singles for rap artists and club promotions with its 38 employees. Michaels aimed to maintain the business rather than expand it heavily, but the rich history of the company inspired him deeply. “You walked into this building and you just felt 50, 60 years of history,” Michaels, now the CEO and chair, reflected. “It gives you goosebumps just experiencing it.”
Today, United Record Pressing has expanded significantly, operating out of a factory six times larger than when Michaels bought it. The workforce has grown to about 125 employees, crafting up to 80,000 records daily. The shift from producing jukebox singles to helping DJs and stocking vinyl for music lovers showcases the company’s evolution amidst a resurgence in vinyl popularity.
Several trends have contributed to the resurgence of vinyl, including independent artists embracing the format and major retailers reintroducing it to their aisles. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, U.S. vinyl revenues rose 10% in 2023, reaching $1.4 billion, marking the 17th consecutive year of growth. Records now account for 71% of revenue from non-digital music formats, and for the second time since 1987, vinyl sales outpaced those of CDs.
The current factory marries vintage and modern technology, with classic wood-paneled equipment testing master versions of records interspersed among updated machines that operate quietly. Innovative processes utilize recycled materials, maximizing efficiency and sustainability. As a result, the machines that stamp master copies have been upgraded from their prior CD and DVD production capabilities for optimal vinyl output.
Quality control remains paramount; in a quieter area of the factory, Tyler Bryant, the quality control lead, listens to an array of music while overseeing production. “I discover artists and records I wouldn’t normally explore, from Harry Styles to Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter,” to indie musicians,” Bryant said, enjoying the variety of genres. “I appreciate not being confined to just one style.”
As for the future, there are exciting plans in the works to preserve the original 1962 plant, with construction crews currently revamping the space. While the specific vision for this initiative is still developing, Michaels asserts its significance: “This is some of the most important space in all of music. It needs to be celebrated and made accessible for people.”
